A PsychoanalyticalStudy of Hedonism in LateVictorianLiterature: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde as a Case Study

Abstract

Discussingpsychology in relation to literatureis the major focus of this dissertation. More specifically, thisresearchstudies the psychological causes of hedonism and itseffects on individuals, usingThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde as the case studythroughwhich the research tries to understand the nature of hedonisticbehaviour. The novelportrayspleasure, desires, beauty and youth, how they change ideologies and morals and the psychological states of individuals. This studyaimsatunveiling the source of hedonism and its types in the novel and beyondthrough the lens of psychoanalysis. The psychoanalytic dissection of the characters in The Picture of Dorian Grayaims to offer a detailedoutlook of whatitislike to be a hedonisticperson or to experience obsession about beauty, immortality and immorality. In addition, the dissertation examines the psychological nature of hedonism and ethicsduring the lateVictorianera in relation to the concept of elegance, ethics, good looks and youth obsession. It investigateswhetherhedonismhelps the keycharacters to fulfiltheirdesires and happiness, probing the ways in whichhedonismisportrayed and the reasonsbehind the hedonisticlifestyle.